Apparatus for dispensing vertically arranged card-like forms



Oct. 27, 1964 s ow ETAL 3,154,216

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING VERTICALLY ARRANGED CARD-LIKE FORMS Filed Aug. 25, 1962 IIIIIIIIIIIII BILLY D. SNOW DENNIS R. MINTER INVENTORS BY Wm. T4%7%Q ATTORNEY United States Patent APPARATUS FOR DISfENSlIN G VERTICALLY ARRANGED CARD-LEE FGEMS Billy D. Snow, 43% Birchman, Fort Worth, Tex., and

Dennis R. Minter, Fort Worth, Ten; said Minter assignor to said Snow Filed Aug. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 218,968

9 Claims. (Cl. 221-2331) Our invention relates to dispensing apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for mechanically dispensing thin flat card-like articles, one at a time.

A customer who purchases products at an automobile service station and uses a credit card is asked to sign a credit card invoice. The invoice usually consists of a card of material suitable for processing by automatic accounting machinery and one or more paper sheets bound at one end to the card, with carbon sheets in between. if the card is mutilated, bent, perforated or otherwise damaged before processing, it will hinder the accounting process. Furthermore, since the accounting process involves light scanning, carbon smears on the card will also often hinder the accounting process. Thus, it is desirable to be able to store the invoices in a suitable container from which they may be dispensed singly and in an undamaged c ndition. So, too, it is desirable to be able to store a quantity of such invoice forms, at one or more convenient locations about the service station, in appropriat dispensers that will protect them from rain, snow, ice and generally inclement weather. Also, such dispensers would be desirable as a means to lower the rate of loss of invoices, which at present is surprisingly high. Although the cost of a single form is relatively insignificant, cumulatively, the present loss rate represents a substantial sum of money.

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide effective apparatus for storing and dispensing thin fiat card-like articles, one at a time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide effective apparatus for storing and dispensing card forms, one at a time, with a minimum degree of apparatus complexity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide edective apparatus for storing and dispensing card forms, one at a time, with an intermittent dispenser actuating motion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide effective apparatus for storing and dispensing service station credit card invoice forms, one at a time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a credit card invoice dispensing apparatus which is adapted to partially eject each invoice in such a manner that it may be grasped and removed quickly from the dispenser by hand.

In accordance with the principles of our invention, the card-like articles to be dispensed are arranged in a stack with a bottom edge face of the stack supported so as to maintain the bottom edges of the articles in alignment, and with the side edges of the stack loosely confined so as to maintain the side edges of the articles in alignment. A set of opposed rollers is disposed generally beneath the stack in the region of its forward portion, with the axes of rotation of the rollers parallel to the bottom edges of the articles. The roller set is made up of a front portion and a rear portion, with each portion mounting one or more rollers. For convenience, the front and rear roller portions will be hereinafter referred to simply as the front roller and the rear roller, respectively. Also for convenience, the front roller is herein designated as the one disposed farthest from the front or dispensing face of the article stack. The axes of rotation of the front and rear rollers are spaced apart such that the distance between first and second planes, respectively tangent to adjacent front and rear roller peripheries and parallel to the dispensing face of the article stack, is greater than the thickness of a single article, but less than the thickness of two articles. There is provided guide means having a guide face disposed substantially parallel to the stack dispensing face and disposed slightly outwardly from said first plane. There is further provided means for urging the stack in the forward, or dispensing, direction. in addition, there is provided means for rotating the front and rear roll rs intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction and so that the peripheral surface of the front roller moves in the downward direction on the side adjacent the rear roller. The rear roller is disposed so as to always be in contact with the bottom edges of the articles at the front portion of the stack with the exception of the single article being dispensed. The single article being dispensed is held between the guide face and the next succeeding article and also is slightly flexed into a pressure contact with the front roller, with the friction due to the pressure contact exceeding the holding friction. Thus, when the rollers are rotated, the front roller will pull the single article downward while the rear roller will tend to push the next succeeding article upward. During a brief time interval immediately following the instant when the article being dispensed clears the lower edge of the next succeeding article, the latter article will drop downwardly into dispensing position :before it is caught and held between the guide face and the second succeeding article. It is necessary that the force urging the stack for-ward be applied in a manner such that the next succeeding invoice will not be prevented from gravitating into dispensing position. In other words, such force should either be applied in a plane movable parallel to the guide face, or it should be applied in a region below the center of the stack.

For a further understanding of our invention and further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

HG. 1 is a schematic fragmentary perspective view of an apparatus for dispensing vertically arranged card forms in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along line llll of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken along line lll-lll of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view of a typical unidirectional frictional gear drive mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown an apparatus constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention for dispensing vertically arranged card forms. Such apparatus ll includes a body portion 13, a closure l5 forming a top, an inclined support plate 17, a front guide plate 1?, a rear pressure plate 21 and a card dispensing mechanism 23.

The body portion 13 includes a pair of spaced parallel plates forming a front 25 and back 27, respectively, and another pair of spaced plates 29, 32. joined to the longitudinal edges of the front 25 and back 27 to form the sides of the parallelepiped-shaped body. The back 27 is provided with a hinged portion 33 which is maintained in closed position by a suitable latch 32. Preferably the hinged portion 33 pivots about a pair of pivot pins 34 adjacent the lower edge which is, conveniently, just below the level of the back edge of the inclined plate 17. The upper edge of the hinged po .ion 33 terminates just below the closure 15 at approximately the same height as the upper edge of the pressure plate 21. The closure 15 is sealed where it joins the edges of the front 25, back 27 and sides 2.9, 31, thus forming a weatherproof top. The closure 15 slopes, preferably, toward the front 25 for the purpose of preventing an accumulation thereupon of moisture, dirt and the like.

A pair of spaced parallel plates 35, 36 are provided with the body between the front 25 and back 27 that are substantially parallel to the sides 29, 31 respectively. The plates 35, 35 are disposed generally perpendicular to the front 25 and back 27 and are spaced laterally a distance which is slightly greater than the width of a credit card invoice; a typical such invoice being 3% inches wide. Extending laterally of the body portion 13, there is a pair of shafts 37, 39 which are suitably journaled in the sides 29, 31 and also in the plates 35, 36. The shafts 37, 39 are located at the same level near the bottom of the sides 29, 31 and toward the front 25, as shown in FIG. 1. On each shaft 37, 39 there is fixed a pair of cylindrical rollers 41, 45 and 43, 47, respectively. The rollers 41, 45 on the shaft 37 are disposed in fixed spaced opposed relation to the rollers 43, 47 on the shaft 39. In a typical embodiment of the device, each of the shafts 37, 39 is one-eighth inch diame'ter and each roller is one-half inch in diameter. The respective opposed rollers 41, 43 and 45, 47 are spaced apart a distance which is substantially equal to the thickness of a single credit card invoice. The thickness of a typical credit card invoice varies between about 0.011 and 0.021 inch. The lateral spacing of the pairs of opposed rollers 41, 45 and 43, 47 on each shaft is approximately two inches between centers and each roller is about one-half inch long. The rollers are bonded or otherwise suitably secured to their respective shafts 37, 39 so that they rotate with the shafts. A respective gear 49, 51 is fixed on each shaft 37, 39 near one end and, preferably, in the space 52 between the side 29 and the plate 35. Also, an idler gear 53, fixed to its own shaft 55, is journaied between the side 29 and the plate 35, so as to engage both gears 49, 51. A bar 57 which has a plurality of ratchet teeth 59 thereon is disposed to reciprocate vertically in the space 52. It is maintained in reciprocating engagement with the gear 49 by a suitable guide block 61. T he bar 57 is provided with a pair of stops 63, 65 which engage the upper and lower end surfaces respectively of the guide block 61 and a suitable actuator plate 67 is provided at the lower extremity for manually reciprocating the bar 57. A tension spring 69 is biased between the guide 61 and the bar 57 by means of which the bar is returned to its upward extended position. The gear 49, moreover, is provided with a clutch which engages the shaft 37 and rotates it only in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the gear end. A typical arrangement of such a clutch is illustrated in FIG. 4. The gear 49 is suitably supported on four balls 71 each of which is contained and rotatable within the larger end of a tapering slot 73 in a hub 75 secured to the shaft 37. When the gear 49 rotates counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 4, the balls 71 are frictionally urged to roll in the same direction. But, due to the taper of the slot 73, the balls 71 become wedged between the inner surface of the gear 49 and the hub '75. Thus, the hub 75 and shaft 37 become frictionally joined by the balls 71 and both rotate counterclockwise with the gear 49. However, it is clear that the balls 71 do not frictionally engage the gear 49 and hub 75 when the gear rotates clockwise.

The inclined support plate 17 is disposed between the plates 35, 35 at an angle of about 30 degrees to a horizontal plane. The lower edge 77 thereof is provided with a pair of round-corner notches 7 e 81 each of which is slightly longer than the length of one roller 41, 45. It will be observed from PEG. 2 that the support plate 17 is so located with respect to the roller 45 that a portion of the upper surface of the roller 45 protrudes slightly above the top surface of the plate 17. A typical protrusion distance in one-sixteenth inch.

The guide plate 19 is disposed vertically between plates 35, 36, with the plane of its inner surface parallel to and displaced slightly (a typical displacement being about the thickness of a single invoice) outwardly from a plane 4 tangent to the surface of the rollers 43, 47, and with the lower edge of said plate 19 adjacent the surface of the rollers 43, 47, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The pressure plate 21 is generally rectangular in shape and is disposed to move freely between the plates 35, 36 and down the inclined plate 17 under the influence of a pair of springs 83. One end of each spring is suitably hinged, as at 85, in the lower region of the plate 21 while the other end 86 projects through an aperture in the inclined plate 17. A pair of round-corner notches 87, 89 are provided in the bottom edge of the plate 21. These are aligned with and slightly longer than the rollers 41, 45 to provide clearance therefor when the plate 21 reaches the region of these rollers. I

Though not specifically illustrated in the drawmg, it is clear that the dispenser may be mounted in any suitable and desirable manner at strategic locations. Such mounting arrangements may include screw fasteners, bolts and nuts or various types of other fasteners, all of which are well known to those skilled in the art.

Now, in order to describe the manner in which the apparatus 11 is used, reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2. The hinged portion 33 is unlatched and pivoted downward to its open position. The pressure plate 21 is removed from the body portion 13 and a stack of credit card invoices 91 is placed in the apparatus between the plates 35, 36. The stub ends of the invoices 91 are placed down and against the support plate 17 and the printed face of the invoices face the guide plate 19. The first invoice 93, which is the one in contact with the guide plate 19, drops into the space between the opposed rollers 41, 43 and 45, 47. This invoice does not pass through because there is sufficient frictional contact with the other invoices and the plate 19 to prevent its passing between the spaced rollers. At the same time the stub end of the second invoice, which is immediately behind the first invoice, engages the protruding surface of the rollers 41 and 45. The third and succeeding invoices are then in contact with either the rollers 41, 45 or the support plate 17. Thereafter, the pressure plate 21 is replaced and the hinged portion 33 pivoted and latched as it was originally. Whenever it is desired to eject an invoice, it is necessary only to push the actuator plate 67 down until the stop 63 engages the guide 61, and to release the plate. This action causes the first, and only the first, invoice to be partly ejected from the apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2. The lower or stub end of the invoice may now be grasped between the fingers and removed manually. It is important to observe that the action of the apparatus is such that only one invoice is ejected at a time. The downward movement of the actuator plate 67 and bar' 57 causes the gear 49 and the rollers 41, 45 to rotate counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2. Because the idler gear 53 engages both the gear 49 and the gear 51, the gear 51 and the rollers 43, 47 rotate, also in a counterclockwise direction. The rollers 43 and 47 act to eject the invoice 93 from the apparatus while, simultaneously, the rollers 41 and 45 tend to urge the second and other invoices that are in contact with same upward or back into the body portion. The rollers 43, 47 will have a light frictional contact with the front article 93, since the pressure exerted by the stack will maintain the first article in contact with the guide plate 19. As soon as the first invoice is removed from the apparatus and the rollers 41, 45 have stopped turning, the force of the spring 83 acting on the pressure plate 21 urges the next invoice toward the guide plate 19. Before the invoice contacts the guide plate, it will gravitate into the space between the rollers 41, 43 and 45, 47. The invoice does not pass between the rollers because, under the urging of the spring 83, which is continuous, the invoice is quickly brought into frictional contact with the guide plate 19, as well as with the next succeeding invoice. It will be recognized that the spring 83 must be selected with proper consideration for the amount of compressive force exerted on the stack of invoices, and particularly on the invoice immediately in contact with the guide plate l9. If the spring is too strong, it will produce too much friction and the invoices will not feed properly from the stack. If it is too weak, the invoices immediately adjacent the one being fed will tend to unduly gravitate toward the rollers and disrupt the ejection action.

While in a preferred embodiment of the invention the support plate 17 is inclined at an angle to a horizontal plane, it is to be understood that the support plate may, if desired, be horizontal. However, the inclined plate is preferred because the invoices will naturally gravitate down the inclined plate toward the ejection mechanism and the guide plate 19. Furthermore, the support plate may have a convex curved surface if desired. Also, it is not essential that the guide plate be vertical, although the vertical or approximately vertical guide plate disposition is preferred. Additionally, the roller axes need not necessarily be in a common horizontal plane (although that disposition is preferred), but the rear roller axis can be somewhat lower than that of the front roller, though not to the extent that the article being dispensed would bear with any appreciable pressure on the rear roller that would upset the required friction relationships. Also, the rear roller axis could be somewhat higher than that of the front roller, though not to the extent that the next succeeding article will be caught and held by the stack and guide plate friction before it can gravitate to the dlspensmg posit'ion. Moreover, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the front and rear rollers need not necessarily have the same diameter.

It is to be understood, also that the bar 57 and the actuator plate 67 may be replaced by other suitable rolleractuating means. Such other actuating mechanism may, for example, be a sector gear mounted so as to engage the gear 49 and having a suitable actuator plate attached thereto. Furthermore, if preferred, the clutch mechanism may be incorporated in the sector gear rather than in the gear 49.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apparatus may be made to receive invoices and other cardtype forms having different dimensions and shapes than suggested herein. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is constructed of plastic except that the gears, latch, shaft, and bar are of brass; the rollers are of relatively soft rubber; and the spring, hinge and balls are of steel. Other suitable materials may be found which, of course, may be substituted, therefor with equivalent effectiveness.

For some applications, especially when inclement weather conditions prevail, it may be desirable to utilize a slotted plate 95 as a bottom in the lower portion of the container. The slot in the bottom plate 95 is of such size and disposition that the partly ejected invoice will extend slightly through it and be readily accessible for removal from the apparatus.

It is clear from the foregoing description that only a single pair of shafts and rollers is required to effectively eject the invoices, one at a time; that all of the other invoices are urged upward and backward by the rollers on the shaft which protrude slightly above the support plate; that the next succeeding invoice does not assume a proper ejectable position until the first invoice is completely removed from the apparatus and the rollers have ceased turning; that the pressure plate, under influence of the springs, continues to urge the next succeeding invoice and all other invoices in the apparatus toward a proper ejectable position; and that the partial ejection feature of the present invention adds to the convenience of using the apparatus as well as speeding up the operation of it.

While we have shown our invention in only one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing credit card invoices from a stack of such articles in said apparatus comprising: a tubular container having walls, a top and an inclined partial partition therein adjacent an open end of said container, said partition being substantially perpendicular to a pair of opposed said walls and having a free notched lower edge; a first horizontal shaft journaled in said container and disposed in spaced parallel relation to said partition adjacent the free edge thereof; a plurality of rollers fixed on said first shaft in spaced relation with a portion of each said roller protruding through said notches and above the surface of said inclined partition; a second shaft journaled in said container and disposed adjacent the free edge of said partition having its axis substantially parallel to and in a common horizontal plane wtih the axis of said first shaft; a plurality of rollers fixed on said second shaft in opposed relation to and spaced substantially the thickness of one said article from the rollers on said first shaft; a first gear fixed on said first shaft adjacent one end; means for intermittently oscillating said first gear; clutch means between said first gear and said first shaft of such a nature that said first shaft rotates unidirectionally as said first gear oscillates; a second gear fixed on said second shaft adjacent one end; an idler gear journaled in said container and meshing with said first and second gears; a plate disposed vertically within said container having its lower edge adjacent the rollers on said second shaft and with a plane containing its inner surface being parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to said rollers; and means urging said invoices toward said plate.

2. Apparatus for dispensing vertically arranged thin, flat, cardlike articles from a stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising: a pair of vertically disposed parallel side member spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of said stack; an end member disposed between said side members and perpendicular thereto and acting as a guide for the front article of said stack; support means fixed relative to said side and end members; first and second parallel spaced shafts journaled on said support means and disposed with axes in a common horizontal plane; a plurality of pairs of opposed rollers fixed on said shafts with said pairs of rollers being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of one said article; said first shaft being located such that the plane of the guide face of said end member is parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to the periphery of said first shaft rollers, with the lower edge of said end member lying adjacent to said first shaft rollers; a planar floor member disposed between said side members so as to support the bottom of said stack, with the front edge of said floor member terminating beyond the periphery of said second shaft rollers and with said second shaft rollers protruding slightly above the level of said floor member; means for urging said stack in the direction toward said end member; and means for rotating said shafts intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction with the peripheral surface of said first shaft rollers moving in the downward direction on the side adjacent said second shaft rollers.

3. Apparatus for dispensing vertically arranged thin, flat, cardlike articles from a stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising: vertically disposed parallel side members spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of said stack; end member means disposed between said side members and perpendicular thereto and acting as a guide for the front article of said stack; support means fixed relative to said side and end members; first and second parallel spaced shafts journaled on said support means and disposed with axes in a common horizontal plane; opposed rollers fixed on said shafts with said rollers being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of one said article; said first shaft being located such that the plane of the guide face of said end member means is parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to the periphery of said first shaft rollers; floor member means disposed between said side members so as to support the bottom of said stack and maintain said articles in rectilinear alignment, with the front edge of said floor member means terminating beyond the periphery of said second shaft rollers and with said second shaft rollers protruding slightly above the level of said floor member; means for urging said stack in the direction toward said end member; and means for rotating said shafts intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction with the peripheral surface of said first shaft rollers moving in the downward direction on the side adjacent said second shaft rollers.

4. Apparatus for dispersing vertically arranged thin, flat, cardlike articles from a stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising: vertically disposed parallel side members spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of said stack; end member means disposed between said side members and perpendicular thereto and acting as a guide for the front article of said stack; support means fixed relative to said side and end members; first and second parallel spaced shafts journaled on said support means and disposed with axes in a common horizontal plane; opposed rollers fixed on said shafts with said rollers being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of one said article; said first shaft being located such that the plane of the guide face of said end member means is parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to the periphery of said first shaft rollers; floor member means disposed between said side members so as to support the bottom of said stack and maintain said articles in rectilinear alignment, with the front edge of said floor member means terminating beyond the periphery of said second shaft rollers and with said second shaft rollers protruding slightly above the level of said fioor member; spring means acting primarily on the lower portion of said stack for urging said stack in the direction toward said end member; and means for rotating said shafts intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction with the peripheral surface of said first shaft rollers moving in the downward direction on the side adjacent said second shaft rollers.

5. Apparatus for dispensing vertically arranged thin, flat, cardlike articles from a stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising: first means for maintaining the lateral edges of said articles in alignment; guide means having a guide face disposed in a vertical plane and acting as a guide for the front article of said stack; support means fixed relative to said first means; first and second parallel spaced shafts journaled on said support means and disposed with axes in a common horizontal plane; opposed rollers fixed on said shafts with said rollers being means and disposed with axes in a common horizontal plane; opposed rollers fixed on said shafts with said rollers being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the 1 thickness of one said article; said first shaft being located spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of one said article; said first shaft being located such that the plane of said guide face is parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to the periphery of a first shaft roller; second means for supporting the bottom of said stack to maintain the bottom edges of said articles in alignment, with the periphery of a second shaft roller protruding slightly above the level of said second means; means for urging said stack in the direction toward said guide face; and means for rotating said shafts intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction with the peripheral surface of said first shaft roller moving in the downward direction on the side adj acent a said second shaft roller.

6. Apparatus for dispensing thin, flat card-like articles from a stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising: first means for maintaining the lateral edges of said articles in alignment; guide means having a guide face disposed in a plane parallel to the stack dispensing face and acting as a guide for the front article of said said stack; support means fixed relative to said first means; first and second parallel spaced shafts journaled on said support such that the plane of said guide face is parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to the periphery of a first shaft roller; second means for supporting the bottom of said stack to maintain the bottom edges of said articles in alignment, with the peripha ery of a second shaft roller protruding slightly above the level of said means; means for urging said stack in the direction toward said guide face; and means for rotating said shafts intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction with the peripheral surface of a said first shaft roller moving in the downward direction on the side adjacent a said second shaft roller.

7. Apparatus for dispensing thin, flat, card-like articles from a stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising: first means for maintaining the lateral edges of said ar- .ticles in alignment; guide means having a guide face disposed in a plane parallel to the stack dispensing face and acting as a guide for the front articles of said stack; support means fixed relative to said first means; first and second parallel spaced shafts journaled on said support means and disposed with axes in a common horizontal plane; opposed rollers fixed on said shafts with said rollers being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of one said article; said first shaft being located such that the plane of said guide face is parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to the periphery of a first shaft roller; second means for supporting the bottom of said stack to maintain the bottom edges of said articles in alignment, with the periphery of a second shaft roller protruding slightly above the level of said means; spring means acting primarily on the lower portion of said stack for urging said stack in the direction toward said guide face; and means for rotating said shafts intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction with the peripheral surface of a said first shaft roller moving in the downward direction on the side adjacent a said second shaft roller.

8. Apparatus for dispensing thin, fiat, card-like articles from a stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising: first means for maintaining the lateral edges of said articles in alignment; guide means having a guide face disposed in a plane parallel to the stack dispensing face and acting as a guide for the front article of said stack; support means fixed relative to said first means; first and second parallel spaced shafts journaled on said support means; opposed rollers fixed on said shafts with said rollers being spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of one said article but less than the thickness of two; said first shaft being located such that the plane of said guide face is parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to the periphery of a first shaft roller; second means for supporting the bottom of said stack to maintain the bottom edges of said articles in alignment, with the periphery of a second shaft roller protruding slightly above the level of said means; means for urging said stack in the direction toward said guide face; and means for rotating said shafts intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction with the peripheral surface of said first shaft roller moving in the downward direction on the side adjacent a said second shaft roller.

9. Apparatus for dispensing thin, flat, card-like articles from a stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising: first means for maintaining the lateral edges of said articles in alignment; guide means having a guide face disposed in a plane parallel to the stack dispensing face and acting as a guide for the front article of said stack; support means fixed relative to said first means; first and second parallel spaced shafts journaled on said support means, opposed rollers fixed on said shafts with said rollers being spaced apart such that the distance between first and second planes, which are respectively tangent to adjacent roller peripheries and parallel to the stack dispensing face, is greater than the thickness of one said article but less than the thickness of two; said first shaft being located such that the plane of said guide face is parallel to and spaced slightly outwardly from a plane which is tangent to the periphery of a firstshaft roller; second means for supporting the bottom of said stack to maintain the bottom edges of said articles in alignment, with the periphery of a second shaft roller protruding slightly above the level of said means; means for rotating said shafts intermittently and simultaneously in the same direction with the peripheral surface of a said first shaft roller moving in the downward direction on the side adjacent a said second shaft roller; means for urging said stack in the direction toward said guide face in a manner such that [the pressure of the stack on the article being 15 2,978,158

133 dispensed will act to hold the said article between the guide face and the next succeeding article and also flex said article into pressure contact with a said first shaft roller, with the friction due to said pressure contact exceeding the holding fiiction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 757,723 Von Castens Apr. 19, 1904 859,853 Stewart July 9, 1907 1,590,925 Campbell June 29, 1926 1,749,773 Matchett Mar. 11, 1930 1,988,732 Hawley Jan. 22, 1935 2,214,752 Pierce Sept. 17, 1940 Herr Apr. 4, 1961 

1. APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING CREDIT CARD INVOICES FROM A STACK OF SUCH ARTICLES IN SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A TUBULAR CONTAINER HAVING WALLS, A TOP AND AN INCLINED PARTIAL PARTITION THEREIN ADJACENT AN OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID PARTITION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO A PAIR OF OPPOSED SAID WALLS AND HAVING A FREE NOTCHED LOWER EDGE; A FIRST HORIZONTAL SHAFT JOURNALED IN SAID CONTAINER AND DISPOSED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID PARTITION ADJACENT THE FREE EDGE THEREOF; A PLURALITY OF ROLLERS FIXED ON SAID FIRST SHAFT IN SPACED RELATION WITH A PORTION OF EACH SAID ROLLER PROTRUDING THROUGH SAID NOTCHES AND ABOVE THE SURFACE OF SAID INCLINED PARTITION; A SECOND SHAFT JOURNALED IN SAID CONTAINER AND DISPOSED ADJACENT THE FREE EDGE OF SAID PARTITION HAVING ITS AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO AND IN A COMMON HORIZONTAL PLANE WITH THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST SHAFT; A PLURALITY OF ROLLERS FIXED ON SAID SECOND SHAFT IN OPPOSED RELATION TO AND SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY THE THICKNESS OF ONE SAID ARTICLE FROM THE ROLLERS ON SAID FIRST SHAFT; A FIRST GEAR FIXED ON SAID FIRST SHAFT ADJACENT ONE END; MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY OSCILLATING SAID FIRST GEAR; CLUTCH MEANS BETWEEN SAID FIRST GEAR AND SAID FIRST SHAFT OF SUCH A NATURE THAT SAID FIRST SHAFT ROTATES UNIDIRECTIONALLY AS SAID FIRST GEAR OSCILLATES; A SECOND GEAR FIXED ON SAID SECOND SHAFT ADJACENT ONE END; AN IDLER GEAR JOURNALED IN SAID CONTAINER AND MESHING WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND GEARS; A PLATE DISPOSED VERTICALLY WITHIN SAID CONTAINER HAVING ITS LOWER EDGE ADJACENT THE ROLLERS ON SAID SECOND SHAFT AND WITH A PLANE CONTAINING ITS INNER SURFACE BEING PARALLEL TO AND SPACED SLIGHTLY OUTWARDLY FROM A PLANE WHICH IS TANGENT TO SAID ROLLERS; AND MEANS URGING SAID INVOICES TOWARD SAID PLATE. 